Ashley Jackson says he is “sore and uncomfortable”, but this time it’s not the disheartening Olympic experience running through his mind.

Britain’s fourth-place at London 2012 is all but a distant memory for Jackson, having already admitted that he hid himself away and didn’t even watch the Paralympics. Over a year on, the star midfielder is in fact talking about his road to recovery after ankle surgery and outlining his thoughts post-Olympics following a raft of changes in the camp.

He’s now back plying his trade for East Grinstead and doctors say it will be Christmas before the Jackson of old is properly fit and firing. In the meantime, the Sussex club will be nursing their man back to full fitness. After all, Jackson joined the club aged 14, made his debut a decade ago and is unlikely to ever be tempted into leaving.

“I grew up in Tunbridge Wells and moved over to East Grinstead to play,” he says. “Apart from two seasons spent playing in Holland, I don’t see myself moving to be honest. They have been very good to me.”

While Jackson eases himself back into domestic hockey, the governing body is preparing its final bid to host the 2018 women's World Cup and host of other tournaments. The Nov 7 decision in Lausanne is pivotal to England Hockey’s Olympic legacy vision over the next decade.

Jackson is excited at the mere thought of a series of major tournaments – the EuroHockey Championships are already being hosted here in 2015 – being staged at Lea Valley. “It could be great,” says Jackson. “Look at London 2012 where we had no idea of what the crowds were going to be like vocally.”

So can Lea Valley Hockey Centre, the Olympic legacy site, create its own fortress-like atmosphere? “Well, we’ve have had a few Three and Four Nations’ tournaments that weren’t that meaningful, but the Olympics was the first time we had played in front of a home crowd like that,” says Jackson, who was dubbed the ‘Ronaldo of hockey’ in the run-up to the Olympics.

“It would be brilliant if we can recreate that. It’s very different in hockey here than, say, India where they get to play in front of big stadiums every week. The chance to play in big stadiums with passionate supporters is always great fun.”

He will experience just that on the sub-continent in January. There, he will join up with the Ranchi Rhinos for his second year of three after being auctioned off for $73,000 in the inaugural Hockey India league last year.

Jackson, with 150 caps for England and Great Britain, is now seen as one of the key figures on the international scene. The make-up of the squad is different, too. He takes a minute to run through the list of players still playing internationally, those who have retired and those who were told they were unlikely to be included in the next four-year Olympic cycle.

“There has been a lot of change and the whole look of the squad is different,” he admits. “We have young and inexperienced guys now compared to what we did at the Olympics. There are only five or six from the 16 who played and the same from larger GB squad.”

Essentially, half the squad has been cut, while half have yet to experience an Olympics.

“Everything is dictated by the Olympics and the funding we receive,” says the 26-year-old. “As a player it is frustrating as you never have that natural progression whereby a player comes in, works hard and earns his place.

“The older guys teach them the trade and the younger guy takes over when the senior guy retires. Some players were going to retire after London while some were told they were unlikely to make the next four years, so they stopped playing, even though they might have one or two years left in them.”

In the summer, he admits, the new recruits who came into England Hockey’s training squad were not ready for the big stage. It was too early. There was a sense of trepidation as the players travelled to the World League in Malaysia.

“We only had a few months training beforehand,” admits Jackson. “It was a World Cup qualifier so a pretty big tournament. Until we were there playing they were pretty nervous times.”

As it was, Britain finished third and secured a crucial place for the World Cup in The Hague next year. Jackson went under the knife soon after to rectify his troublesome ankle. Now, a second chapter awaits on the long road to Rio 2016.

“Moving forward, it’s going to be tough,” adds Jackson, “but I know now we have a younger team to develop and make that next step.”